High sensitivity and high dynamic-range CMOS image sensor pixel structure with dynamic C-V characteristics

ABSTRACT

A new photogate pixel structure for high performance CMOS Image Sensors is proposed. A new photogate structure is incorporated into the photodiode active-pixel structure. The proposed pixel structure exhibits the dynamic integration capacitance characteristics, which can be controlled by varying the control-voltage at the photogate node. Since the sensitivity is inversely proportional to the integration capacitance, the dynamic integration capacitance characteristics can provide the new functionality and controllability for high sensitivity and high dynamic range. At a low voltage level of the photogate, the pixel sensitivity of the new photogate pixel structure is maximized due to the minimum value of the integration capacitance. At a high voltage of the photogate, the dynamic range of the new structure can be maximized due to the increased well capacity. In addition, at an optimum bias voltage of the photogate, both the dynamic-range and the sensitivity can be simultaneously improved. Consequently, the new pixel structure allows performance tunability as well as optimization in both the dynamic range and the sensitivity of the image sensor cell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pixel structure and novel operational characteristics for high performance CMOS Image Sensors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel electrical operation of the dynamic C-V characteristic with a transition voltage, which can be controlled by varying the photogate bias voltage, for high sensitivity and high dynamic-range performance using a new photogate pixel structure in high-end digital still cameras and high performance digital video cameras.

2. Description of the Related Art

Today, advances and improvements continue to be made in the growing digital imaging world. Apart from the existing applications in fax machines, scanners, security cameras and camcorders, new markets are emerging in the consumer imaging industry such as digital still cameras, toys and PC cameras, cameras for cell phones and PDAs, biometrics, and automobiles.

The two main silicon-based image sensor technologies are charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and CMOS image sensors (CISs). Up until the mid-1990s, CCDs have been the dominant technology in the imaging world, while traditional ICs are fabricated with the CMOS technology. Since then, however, there has been a growing interest in the development of CMOS image sensors in the [1]. ([1]: E. R. Fossum et al, “CMOS image sensors: Electronic camera-on-a-chip,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 44, No. 10, pp. 1689-1698, October 1997) The first CCD was reported by Bell Labs in 1970.

It was adopted over other solid-state image sensors, including CIS, because of its reduced fixed pattern noise (FPN) and smaller pixel size. In the thirty years since its inception, CCD image sensors have attracted much of the research and development, thus achieving a very high level of performance with low readout noise, high dynamic range, and excellent responsivity.

At the same time, however, the functional limitations of CCDs have also become apparent. CCD fabrication process does not allow cost-efficient integration of on-chip ancillary circuits such as signal processors, and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).

As a result, a CCD-based camera system requires not one image sensor chip, but a set of chips, which increases power consumption and hampers miniaturization of cameras. Consequently, the resurgence in CIS development is primarily motivated by the demand for an alternative imaging technology offering low cost, low power, high miniaturization, and increased functionality.

The research and development activities in the past ten years have resulted in significant advances in CIS, offering performance as competitive as CCD, but with increased functionality and lower power consumption. Circuit techniques have been introduced on-chip to reduce FPN and enhance dynamic-range.

In addition, the advancement and miniaturization of CMOS technology, driven by the tremendous growth in digital IC market, has outpaced similar improvements in CCD technology [2]. ([2]: E. R. Fossum et al, “Digital camera system on a chip,” IEEE Micro, vol. 18(3), pp. 8-15, May-June 1998)

On the other hand, technology and device scaling does not always lead to better image sensor performance [3]. ([3]: H. S. Wong et al, “Technology and device scaling considerations for CMOS imagers,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 43(12), pp. 2131-2142, December 1996) The PN junction photodiode, commonly used in CISs, is the simplest photodetecting device and is easily integrated in a standard digital CMOS process.

Photodiode-based image sensors, however, suffer from low responsivity to input light. Thus, the main obstacle of CIS systems comes from the unscalability and low responsivity of the photosensor. The challenge then is to develop photodetectors and pixel architectures that potentially eliminate these device and process limitations.

Recently, the CIS, which is the dominant image sensor, has been used in a wide variety of applications, including digital still camera, optical mouse, and mobile phones. The CAPS usually consists of a 3-transistor (3-T) pixel or a 4-transistor (4-T) pixel. The pinned photodiode (PPD) based 4-T pixel structure has been favorably used in the CAPS due to the performance advantages of low dark current and high sensitivity compared to the 3-T pixel structure [4]. ([4]: H. Abe et al, “Device technologies for high quality and smaller pixel in CCD and CMOS image sensors,” in IEDM Dig. Tech. Papers, 2004, pp. 989-992)

However, the PPD based 4-T pixel has some disadvantages, such as a small fill factor arising from the use of additional transistors, a low dynamic range associated with the small well capacity, and high cost due to the required modification in the typical logic process [5]. ([5]: H. Takahashi et al, “A 3.9-μm pixel pitch VGA format 10-b digital output CMOS image sensor with 1.5 transistor/pixel,” IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, vol. 39, pp. 2417-2425, December 2004)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this work, a new pixel structure is proposed and implemented based on a 3-T pixel structure using a standard 0.35-μm CMOS logic process, which can improve not only the dynamic range but also the sensitivity at low illumination intensity.

For the desired performance characteristics of the proposed pixel structure, a new photogate structure is incorporated into the photodiode active-pixel structure. The proposed pixel structure exhibits the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) characteristics, which can be controlled by varying the control-voltage at the photogate node (V_(PG)). Since the sensitivity is inversely proportional to C_(int), the dynamic characteristics of C_(int) can provide the new functionality and controllability for high sensitivity and high dynamic range.

At a low voltage level of the photogate (V_(PG)=0V), the pixel sensitivity of the new photogate pixel structure is maximized due to the minimum value of C_(int), leading to high sensitivity with more than two-times improvement compared to the conventional pixel. At a high voltage of V_(PG)=3V, the dynamic range of the new structure can be maximized due to the increased well capacity with improvement more than 10 dB. Consequently, the new pixel structure allows performance tunability as well as optimization in both the dynamic range and the sensitivity of the image sensor cell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of the schematic circuit diagram of the 3-T pixel structure.

FIG. 2(a) is a drawing of the conceptual circuit diagram of the proposed photogate pixel structure.

FIG. 2(b) is a drawing of the schematic C-V characteristics at the integration node (V_(int)) of the proposed photogate pixel structure, which can be controlled by varying the photogate bias voltage.

FIG. 3 is a drawing of the layout diagram of the proposed pixel structure.

FIG. 4 is a graph of the measured C-V characteristics of C_(int) vs. V_(int) as a function of the photogate bias voltage (V_(PG)).

FIG. 5 is a graph of the measured pixel sensitivity for the illumination intensity of both 10 lux and 122 lux as a function of V_(PG) for the new structure in comparison with the conventional structure.

FIG. 6 is a graph of the measured well-capacity and dynamic range as a function of V_(PG) for the new structure in comparison with the conventional structure.

FIG. 7 is a graph drawing of the measured dark-signal as a function of V_(PG) for the new structure in comparison with the conventional structure.

FIG. 8 is a graph drawing of the measured C-V characteristics of C_(int) vs. V_(int) for the case of V_(PG)=2.75V.

FIG. 9 is drawing of the measured output voltage waveform for the new structure for V_(PG)=2.75V at 10 lux for high sensitivity (x-axis: time, y-axis: output voltage for the typical case of t_(int) (integration time)=10 ms). The performance of the conventional structure is also compared.

FIG. 10 is drawing of the measured output voltage waveform for the new structure for V_(PG)=2.75V at 500 lux for high dynamic-range (x-axis: time, y-axis: output voltage for the typical case of t_(int) (integration time)=10 ms). The performance of the conventional structure is also compared.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS ON THE MAIN PARTS OF THE DRAWINGS

-   201: Supply Voltage -   202: Source Follower -   203: Row-Select Gate -   204: Pixel Output Node -   205: Photodiode 1 -   206: Photodiode 2 by the Depletion-Layer under the Photogate -   207: Photogate Node -   208: Integration Node -   209: Reset Gate -   210: Row-Select Transistor -   211: Reset Transistor -   212: Photogate Transistor -   301: Pixel Width -   302: Photosensing Area -   303: Pixel Length -   304: Row-Select Transistor -   305: Pixel Output Node -   306: Source Follower -   307: Pixel Area -   308: Supply Voltage Node -   309: Reset Transistor -   310: Width of Photosensing Area -   311: Photodiode Area -   312: Integration Node -   313: Photogate Node -   314: Photogate -   315: n+ Diffusion Area -   58: 3-T Pixel Structure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The pixel layout of the new pixel structure are illustrated in FIG. 3. The pixel size (A_(pixel)) and fill factor (FF) of the new pixel structure are designed to be equal to those of a conventional 3-T structure, which is used in this work for performance comparison.

The overall photosensing part (302) of the new structure is composed of both a photo-gate region (314) and a photodiode region as shown in FIG. 3, which is different from the conventional structure consisting of only a photodiode region. In order to maintain a comparable quantum efficiency (η), the photo-gate in the new structure is also used as a part of photosensing region (302) with an area ratio of about 0.5 to the overall photosensing region (302). For the photo-gate material, a non-silicided thin poly-silicon layer (˜250 nm) is used, which has relatively high transparency for the visible frequency band of image sensors.

The conceptual equivalent-circuit diagram of the new pixel structure is shown in FIG. 2(a). For the desired self-adaptive sensitivity operation and the dynamic C-V characteristics of the proposed structure, a positive control-bias voltage (V_(PG): 207) is applied at the photo-gate in FIG. 2(b). The detailed operating principle of the new photo-gate pixel is as follows. Considering the same readout operation as the conventional 3-T pixel (58), the voltage level at the integration node (V_(int): 208) is initially set to a reset level (V_(reset)) with a bias condition of V_(PG) satisfying (V_(PG)−V_(th))<V_(reset), where V_(th) is the threshold voltage of the photo-gate (212).

During the integration time (t_(int)), V_(int) is decreased from the value of V_(reset) with light illumination. When V_(int) stays in a range from V_(reset) to V_(PG)−V_(th), the depletion-layer capacitance of the photo-gate (C_(PG): 206) is electrically disconnected from the depletion capacitance of the photodiode (C_(PD): 205) because of the channel pinch-off of the photo-gate with V_(int)>(V_(PG)−V_(th)).

Thus, the effective integration-capacitance (C_(int)) at the integration node of V_(int) in FIG. 2(a) becomes C_(PD) in this case, as shown schematically in FIG. 2(b). Then, when V_(int) is further decreased below V_(PG)−V_(th), C_(PG) is electrically connected to C_(PD) through the channel formed under the photo-gate, resulting in an increased C_(int) of C_(int)=C_(PG)+C_(PD). Hence, the new pixel structure can exhibit the dynamic C_(int) characteristics with a transition voltage at V_(PG)−V_(th), which can be controlled by V_(PG). Since the sensitivity (S) of the pixel is inversely proportional to C_(int) as follows: $\begin{matrix} {{S = {A_{pixel} \cdot {FF} \cdot \frac{\lambda\quad({µm})}{1.24} \cdot \frac{\eta}{C_{int}}}},} & (1) \end{matrix}$

the dynamic characteristics of C_(int) can provide the desired self-adaptive sensitivity operation for the new pixel structure. In addition, the new structure can also demonstrate high sensitivity especially at low illumination intensity due to the small C_(int) of C_(PD) at around V_(int)=V_(reset), as shown in FIG. 2(b).

In order to improve the dynamic range (DR) while maintaining the high sensitivity performance at low illumination intensity, it is required to maximize the well capacity (Q_(well)) of the pixel, which is expressed as follows for the new photo-gate structure: $\begin{matrix} {{Q_{well} = {{\int_{V_{sat}}^{V_{PG} - V_{th}}{\left( {C_{PG} + C_{PD}} \right){\mathbb{d}V_{int}}}} + {\int_{V_{PG} - V_{th}}^{V_{reset}}{C_{PD}{\mathbb{d}V_{int}}}}}},} & (2) \end{matrix}$ where V_(sat) is the output saturation voltage level. The proposed photo-gate structure allows to optimize Q_(well) electrically by varying V_(PG).

The dynamic range of the pixel sensor is determined by Q_(well) and also by the other parameters, such as the dark current (i_(dark)) and the total read noise (σ_(r)) as shown in the following equation: $\begin{matrix} {{DR} = {20\quad\log{\left\{ {\frac{q \cdot Q_{well}}{t_{int}} - {{i_{dark}/\frac{q}{t_{int}}}\left( {\left( \frac{i_{dark} \cdot t_{int}}{q} \right)^{2} + \left( \sigma_{r} \right)^{2}} \right)^{1/2}}} \right\}.}}} & (3) \end{matrix}$

In order to reduce i_(dark), the photodiode region (311) of the pixel is isolated in the proposed structure from the defective field oxide border. In addition, the pulse form of the reset signal can also be designed to minimize σ_(r). Consequently, at an optimum V_(PG), the dynamic range as well as the sensitivity at low illumination intensity can be simultaneously improved by using the proposed photo-gate pixel structure.

The FIG. 4 shows the measured C-V characteristics of the proposed photo-gate pixel structure in comparison with the conventional 3-T reference pixel structure. The FIG. 8 shows the measured sensitivity vs. V_(PG). For the new structure, V_(PG) is the case of 2.75V. As shown in FIG. 8, the new pixel structure exhibits the intended dynamic characteristics of C_(int) with a transition voltage at around V_(int)=2V, whereas the conventional structure shows the nearly constant characteristic.

For the observation of dynamic sensitivity operation in the photo-gate pixel structure depending on the illumination intensity, the pixel sensitivity was measured at two levels of illumination intensity; one at low illumination intensity of 10 lux and the other at high illumination intensity of 500 lux. For a uniform source of light illumination, a 3200K tungsten-halogen lamp was used in the measurement. The mean sensitivity value of the photo-gate structure is 1.1 V·lux⁻¹·sec⁻¹ at 10 lux, which is two-times larger than that of the conventional structure. This is mainly because the C_(int) of the new structure at V_(int)>2V is smaller than that of the conventional structure by a factor of more than two, as shown in FIG. 8.

The measured value of η in the photo-gate pixel structure was found to be about 10% less than that of the conventional photodiode pixel. At the high illumination intensity of 500 lux, the mean sensitivity value of the new photo-gate structure is considerably smaller than that of the conventional structure. This is because the charge-to-conversion gain is reduced by the large C_(int) at V_(int)<2V as shown in FIG. 8, which can lead to the increased capacity of light detection for the proposed pixel up to the output saturation level.

The measured dynamic range and dark signal level of the photo-gate pixel structure as a function of V_(PG) are shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 respectively. The dark signal of the new structure is reduced by more than 55% compared to that of the conventional pixel structure (see FIG. 7).

The dynamic range (DR) in the photo-gate pixel increases by increasing V_(PG), as shown in FIG. 6. This is because the Q_(well) of the new photo-gate structure increases significantly with the increase of V_(PG), while i_(dark) increases only slightly and saturates at a high V_(PG). At V_(PG)=2.75 V, the dynamic range of the new pixel structure is 73.5 dB, which shows an improvement of more than 10 dB compared to the reference 3-T pixel structure. Moreover, the dynamic range of the new photo-gate pixel structure is found to be about 10 dB larger than that of the previously reported PPD 4-T pixel structures.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show the measured output voltage waveforms for the two structures. It has been found that the new pixel structure demonstrates a more pronounced non-linear characteristic in the output voltage waveform especially at illumination intensity larger than about 50 lux due to the dynamic behavior of C_(int).

The photo-gate pixel structure does not reach the saturation level even at 500 lux as shown in FIG. 10 due to the self-adaptive non-linear C-V characteristics, although the conventional structure reaches the saturation at much lower illumination intensity of 400 lux. The output voltage of the photo-gate pixel saturates at much higher intensity of 850 lux.

A new photo-gate pixel structure (see FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 3) was proposed based on the standard CMOS logic process. At a low voltage level of the photogate (V_(PG)=0V), the pixel sensitivity of the new photogate pixel structure is maximized due to the minimum value of C_(int), leading to high sensitivity with more than two-times improvement compared to the conventional pixel. At a high voltage of V_(PG)=3V, the dynamic range of the new structure can be maximized due to the increased well capacity (Q_(WELL)) with improvement more than 10 dB. In addition, at an optimum bias condition of the proposed photo-gate, both the dynamic range and the low-intensity sensitivity were significantly improved due to the self-adaptive photosensing operation.

Consequently, the new pixel structure allows performance tunability as well as optimization in both the dynamic range and the sensitivity of the image sensor cell.

The results demonstrate that the proposed photo-gate pixel structure is very promising for high-performance CMOS active pixel-sensor applications, where high versatility and high controllability are essential for the overall performance optimization. 

1. A active pixel structure based on the photodiode-2 (206) of the photogate (314) combining the 3-T photodiode-1 (205) pixel structure (see FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 3), using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), which can be controlled by varying the photogate bias voltage (V_(PG)) at the photogate node (207, 313), for high sensitivity (high conversion-gain) due to the small integration capacitance (C_(PD)) of the photodiode-1 (205) and high dynamic-range (high well-capacity due to low conversion-gain) due to the large integration capacitance (C_(PD)+C_(PG)) of the combination of the photodiode-1 (206) (see FIG. 2(b)).
 2. A active pixel structure with the photogate (314) using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), as claimed in claim 1, which has high sensitivity at low light intensity due to the minimum value of C_(int) at above the transition voltage (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), can be decreased by a low voltage level of the photogate (example: V_(PG)=0V).
 3. A active pixel structure with the photogate (314) using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), as claimed in claim 1, which has high dynamic-range due to the increased well capacity, can be maximized by the maximum value of C_(int) (=C_(PD)+C_(PG)) at below the transition voltage (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), can be increased by a high voltage level of the photogate (example: V_(PG)=3.3V).
 4. A active pixel structure with the photogate (314) using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), as claimed in claim 1, at an optimum bias condition of the proposed photo-gate (example: V_(PG)=2.75V), which has both high dynamic range and high sensitivity at low light intensity (example: 10 lux) due to the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics.
 5. A active pixel structure with the photogate (314) using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), as claimed in claim 1, which can improve the sensitivity at low light intensity or the dynamic-range by the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics, as the incident light intensity, which can be controlled by varying the photogate bias voltage (V_(PG)) electrically, that can be automatically controlled by the negative feedback circuitry.
 6. A active pixel structure with the photogate (314) using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), as claimed in claim 1, which has the linear output voltage waveform (see FIG. 9) at low light intensity due to the small integration capacitance (C_(int)) above the transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 8), which can lead to the high sensitivity compared to the conventional pixel.
 7. A active pixel structure with the photogate (314) using the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) Characteristics with a transition voltage level (V_(PG)−V_(TH)) (see FIG. 2(b)), as claimed in claim 1, which has the non-linear output voltage waveform (see FIG. 10) at high light intensity due to the dynamic integration capacitance (C_(int)) (see FIG. 8), which can lead to the high dynamic-range compared to the conventional pixel. 